


Five times Shiro almost asked Keith to marry him and one time he proposed

by hannibal_rises



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Original Character(s), original galra character - Freeform, this is an adam lives fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 20:46:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15915930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannibal_rises/pseuds/hannibal_rises
Summary: What it says on the TinPicking up from the end of season 7 following until the end of the war five times Shiro almost asks Keith to marry him and one time he proposes.





	1. Chapter 1

It was… weird being home. The halls of the Garrison had changed, but quiznack they looked the same as they did when Shiro was a cadet. He remembered walking these halls with Matt and Adam, talking a mile a minute and tripping over themselves as they found their own legs suddenly too long. He grew up in these halls just as much as he did in his own home.

But things were so different now. He was scarred, changed by everything that had happened after Kerberos. Matt was landing in the next few hours and Adam? Their reunion had been rough. He knew things had more or less ended before Kerberos, but seeing Adam so different and wrapped in the arms of James Griffin was like a shock to the system. He later learned that Adam nearly didn’t make it during the attack, having been loaded into the medical bay of the Atlas, their reunion was so much like their relationship. Nearly touching and only inches apart, but almost wasn’t enough and time was the oldest teacher. 

Shiro ran his flesh hand through his hair and stepped from one hospital room to the other. It was finally time… he couldn’t keep running from seeing Keith. The boy still hadn’t woken from the battle, and seeing him that day? Blood caked on the shattered edges of his helmet and across his too-pale face. He was hardly breathing and Shiro couldn’t help his screaming. He had never been so close to truly losing Keith. Shallow breathing and too much blood.

He had to shake the memory from his mind as he stepped into the young man’s room. The lights were dim, but the window was cracked and curtains pushed back. The wind that drifted into the room smelled so slightly like hot metal and ash, but still that familiar scent of desert they spent so many long days on. Keith’s eyes were still closed, but the majority of the wires and lines were removed from his face and arms. He was so much closer to being okay, a thousand times better than the masked and pale body that lay in that same bed days before. 

“Afternoon, Keith.” Shiro said, ashamed of the tightness in his throat. It stung like the warning before he would cry, but he moved past it to sit next to Keith’s bed and take the unmoving hand that lay over white sheets. “It’s been a while since I’ve visited, I know. I’m sorry.”

He sat in silence, feeling the minutes pass more than counting them. It was a tense waiting game, waiting for his own courage to resupply. He knew it would only help to talk to Keith while the boy was in his medically induced coma, but all he could think about was how close he had been to losing it all. “It’s hard to do this, Keith.” Shiro whispered, biting his lip. “To sit here and wait, hoping that you’ll be okay. I guess it’s only fair though. You’ve done this for me too many times… It didn’t really click just how much the waiting is hell. I  _ know  _ you’ll be okay, you’re so strong, Keith. You’ve dragged me back from death so many times now, you’ve saved me so many times and I… I hope I’m strong enough to do the same for you.

“Shit, all I can think about is what we could have lived… if we weren’t caught up in this war… if the Universe didn’t need Voltron… what might wait for us at the end of this… We could go get a house on the coast, any coast… Just you and me… Wake up every day to the sun, our sun, and the smell of salt water… We could live here on Earth… make ourselves a home here again…” Shiro squeezed Keith’s hand, looking down to the limp fingers in his. “Or we could travel the universe. No war for us to fight, just the endless stars waiting for us. We don’t need a Castle of Lions or Atlas for the two of us... “

Shiro felt his throat tighten and rest his forehead against their clasped hands. “I just… I want to make a life with you, Keith… Ever since we met I knew you would be such a big part of my life… You were like a brother then but now… I’ve seen you grow into such a strong man… I’ve grown so much since those days when we would race our bikes in the desert. I’ve never been as sure of anything as I am about wanting to spend my life with you, Keith… I don’t know what I’d do without you.

“So please… Keith… please wake up soon… I need to know you’ll be okay. I need to hear you tell me something… anything. I need to hear your voice.”

Shiro was met with silence and the steady beeping of Keith’s heart monitor. 

Krolia watched from the doorway as Shiro’s shoulders began to shake, and the man slowly let the crack become a break. She approached him with her heart full of a mother’s love. “Shiro.” She spoke up, voice quiet and gentle as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

Shiro’s head snapped up, eyes wide and leaking tears. “Krolia!”

She shook her head and smiled, pulling the man into a hug, pressing his face to her abdomen and threading her fingers through his white hair. “He loves you, Shiro.” She said softly, claws tracing circles in his hair. “He’ll come back to us and he’ll tell you himself.”

Shiro choked out a sob and nodded, letting Krolia smother him with protective maternal love. It was a gift he would be grateful for the rest of his life. “He already has…” Shiro admitted, squeezing Keith’s hand tighter. “I just… never got to tell him that I-”

Shiro stopped, tugging his head from where it was pressed against Krolia’s stomach. There was an answering squeeze of his hand and Shiro’s heart was in his mouth. Purple eyes blinked open, narrow and seeking until they found Shiro and Krolia. “Shiro… mom?” Keith breathed out, voice hoarse from disuse. “I was… dreaming of the beach…”

A choking noise forced its way from Shiro’s throat as he grinned, more tears sliding from his eyes. “Oh yeah?” He asked, bringing his metal hand to cup Keith’s hand more. 

Keith nodded slowly, the drugs and injuries dragging his movements down to a snail's pace and keeping him from focusing. “You were there… I’ve never… been to the beach…”

Krolia pushed back the wild hairs of Keith’s bangs and smiled at her son. “We’ll go to the beach then.” She said, voice quiet as Keith nodded in agreement. 

“Tomorrow.” Keith said, drowsy and fading back into the world of sleep and medication.

Shiro’s prosthetic reached out, cupping Keith’s cheek and letting his eyes fall closed. He knew Keith probably wouldn’t remember any of this come the next time he woke up… but it had been a blessing to Shiro. He brought the young man’s hand to his lips, mouthing the words against that warm skin. 

_ “I love you.” _


	2. Chapter 2

The physical therapy to get back into the Lions was harsh and demanding. The week of medically induced coma and days of medical clearance had left Keith thin and weaker than he remembered being in a long time. The Garrison had their own requirments for him to meet before he could be cleared, but to the hybrid it wasn’t enough. As the presence of his mother reminded him, he wasn’t completely human. His body responded differently.

Or he wanted to believe.

Panting from the light exercise, Keith grit his teeth. He needed to be better than this. Haggar was still out there. Acxa had come and told them already that the Witch had resurfaced. He needed… He needed to. Slamming his fist against the metal panel of the training room, ignoring the jump of the rooms only other occupant. He had to be better than this. 

He had to get outside…

Pushing off the wall, Keith marched out the room and down the bright hallways of the Garrison. At first it was so weird, being back in the Garrison. It had been so long… The years were so uneven, but he felt the time so acutely. He remembered walking these halls with Shiro. Fighting Griffin in these halls. 

The orange and white of the cadet uniform had apparently been abandoned for him when he woke. Green awaited him for these halls, but even that he abandoned for training. Hurrying through halls in his black pants and exercise tank, he drew the looks of many, and it only increased the feeling of suffocating. He needed air. He needed light. He felt like a feral caged animal that would only feel safe released back into the desert.

As he finally breached the doors to the hanger where the Lions and fighters waited, he found no solace. He could feel Black purring in his mind. Her repairs were finished and she recharged long before he did. She was as restless as he was. “Keith!” Matt’s voice echoed through the hanger, but it didn’t register to him, his eyes locked on Black’s fresh paint. 

 

“Keith I didn’t know you were coming. We just finished touching up Green, it was supposed to be a surprise for you all… for when you’re cleared- Keith? Keith!” Matt yelled, watching Keith march to Black, who’s eyes flashed to life and crouched down to greet him. 

“Keith you’re not cleared for flight yet!” Matt protested, clenching his teeth and running to a console. His fingers danced rapidly across the console, looking up to see Black’s mouth close and her backside wiggle, readying for her Paladin to take flight. “Shiro! Get down to the hanger now! Keith just got in Black and I think they’re about to take off!” He barked into the console, staring long and hard at the suspiciously unmoving lion. 

 

Black remained still for long minutes, long enough for Matt to finally hear footsteps running to the hanger. Shiro, Coran, and Pidge all slid into the hanger, eyes immediately seeking the Black Lion. “Matt, what’s going on?” Shiro barked out, looking over to Matt finally, white brows drawn together.

“He just walked right up to Black like I wasn’t even there.” Matt said, stepping around the console, approaching them. “I don’t know why he hasn’t…”

“I do.” Coran spoke up, frowning. “We put all the Paladin’s armor in their Lions… The armor that corresponds to the Lion. The Black Paladin armor was on the seat.” 

Shiro looked from Coran to the Black lion, and for not the first time, he longed for that connection to her again. If he still had at least some sort of connection he could have an idea of what was going on inside of her… He might even be able to go in after Keith… As the idea spurred into his mind, the lion opened her mouth and roared, shifting her paws and turning her head. “Matt! Open the hangar doors.” Pidge yelled, waving her hands as the Lion began moving. 

Matt frowned, but obeyed as Black moved, nearly clipping the hanger doors as she ran between them as they opened. The familiar sound of the lion’s thrusters filtered into the hanger, and as the doors finally fully opened, they could see the black and red dot of the Black Lion shooting up into the sky. “Quiznack.” Shiro swore, turning to Matt with a dire face. “Which of these ships are ready to fly?”

“Mine is, Sir.” Griffin spoke up, nodding to his MFE. “It’s no lion, but I’m sure she can keep up. She’s probably your best bet at catching up to him.”

Shiro nodded, grabbing a helmet and unbuttoning his jacket. “Thank you, James.”

“Anytime, Shiro. If there’s anyone I’d trust to fly her, it’d be you.”

 

“Coran, I’ve found him.” Shiro said over the comms. An hour had passed, scanning the planet for signs of Keith, before Shiro realized it was a very low possibility for Keith to still be on the planet. The boy was born for the stars. He remembered how frustrated Keith had been, struggling to walk again after being in bed so long.

_ “You know we’ve been working under a less gravity than Earth has.” Keith said, looking up to Shiro from where he sat on the hospital bed. “Coran was the one who pointed it out to me, actually… Said Earth’s gravity was the strongest that we’ve been under in some time.” _

_ Shiro had put his hand on Keith’s shoulder and smiled at him in answer. _

But now Shiro saw just how… selfish he’d been thinking. Keith wasn’t even fully human. The boy belonged along the stars, he had been reaching for them since he could walk, and Shiro knew, deep down, that he would always run to them. Sitting in the cockpit of a ship made of Earth and Altean technology, Shiro knew it was his turn to follow where Keith would lead. 

“Where is he, Captain?” Coran asked, voice relieved over the comms.

“The moon.”

 

Shiro had never been on the moon before, but bouncing down to the surface, he immediately found the view something to behold. The Black Lion stood above him, and beyond her the planet was bright and welcoming. It filled his chest with a warm feeling of home, but that feeling only grew stronger as he saw the back of the Black Paladin helmet.

He had never seen it from behind, not while being worn. It was almost a comfort to see Keith finally dawn the black armor. “Keith.” He breathed, smiling as the man’s head turned. Keith didn’t wear the bashful expression of a man who had just stolen his ship and flew off to the moon because he was restless. He wore a contented smile, eyes soft.

“You didn’t have to come chasing after me, Shiro.” Keith said, looking back to the bright planet below them. 

Shiro sat next to Keith, bumping their knees together. “I’m honestly a bit surprised it took you this long to run off.”

“I don’t know if that’s an insult or not.” Keith admitted, laughing. 

Shiro shook his head, bumping Keith’s arm with his elbow. “You know better.” He teased, eyes following Keith’s gaze to the planet. “It’s so... different being back.”

“Weird you mean.” Keith corrected, smiling to himself.

Shiro laughed and nodded. “Yeah. Weird.”

“I… I never thought I’d be back.” Keith admitted, shrugging. “I mean… was Earth ever really even my home?”

Shiro breathed out, leaning back on his arms. “I think… you make your home wherever you go. Some people decide that a place will always be their home, a city, a planet, but I guess it’s relative from person to person.”

Keith was silent, watching the blue planet below them slowly spinning. “I guess I think of Earth as my home.” Shiro said. “But when I thought of Earth as home, it was the people I would think of. When I was captive it was my family, Adam, you, who I thought of getting back to. That was home to me.”

There was a soft, bouncing thud to Shiro’s left that caught his attention. Keith had thrown himself onto his back and floated just so up from the surface of the moon. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel like it was home after my dad died.” Keith admitted, looking out at the vast expanse of space. “It was worse after you were announced as presumed dead. I guess I just haven’t thought of Earth as home because it’s not where my family is.”

Shiro nodded, looking back to Earth, and letting the reality sink into his skull. He was sitting on the moon next to a boy, trying desperately not to tell him he loved him, looking down on the planet he was born on- “Do you think we’ve been there?”

Shiro looked over to Keith, seeing the man pointing out into space, toward a specific star. Shiro followed that gloved finger and smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe. If we haven’t we can. We can go and visit them all.”

That caught Keith’s attention, the eyes of the Black Paladin bore holes into the side of Shiro’s helmet. “Oh yeah?”

Shiro looked down to Keith and smiled. “Yeah. It’s my turn to follow where you lead, Keith. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

A strange look overcame Keith’s face, suddenly so unable to look at Shiro. Silence hung over them for a long minute. They had been through so much together and Keith followed Shiro to the edges of the universe itself, but it seemed for this moment, Keith couldn’t even look at him. It was in these moments that Shiro would do anything to know what was going on behind those purple eyes. Suddenly, Keith was sitting up and making to stand. Shiro tracked his movements, but it surprised him to find that instead of looking back to those ever expanding galaxies or to the bright planet below them, Keith turned and focused his eyes to Shiro.

Something about his face brought up Kuron’s memories. Their battle and the expressive look in Keith’s face. 

_ “I love you.” _

“Then follow me back down.” Keith said, reaching out his hand to the man before him.  “I’m sure they’re waiting for us. Ready to drag me back to the Garrison like old times?”

Shiro grinned, taking Keith’s hand with is and pulling himself up. “Want to take a detour like old times?”

Keith grinned, all sharp teeth and glee and Shiro had to ask himself how he hadn’t realized this before. Hadn’t let himself see just how beautiful Keith had become. Death, he supposed, cleared up a lot of things. But he would be lying if he said that longing had only started there. 

Seeing Keith smiling at him, cheeks just pink and Earth glowing behind him like a halo, like Keith were truly something ethereal that would burn and break him if he touched, but like Icarus he would fly fast into the arms of the beautiful boy who lit up his world. He had loved Adam, yes, but not in this all encompassing way. Not in the way that felt like the truest form of belonging just getting to stand by his side. 

He would follow Keith anywhere. 

Spend every day at the man’s side and every night dreaming about the moments spent at his side. 

“Let’s go, Takashi.”

_ Takashi.  _

He swore his name never sounded sweeter.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Keith stood just to Shiro’s right on the bridge, looking between the weapons commands in front of Iverson and Shiro’s general command console. It was nothing like when he stood to Shiro’s right on the Castle of Lion’s bridge. There it was being the right hand of Voltron. Now they stood almost equals, Shiro only superior in his experience and title of Captain. Keith was akin to a squad leader, but his voice as Head of Voltron was respected and valued. 

“Preparing for departure in three Dobashes.” Coran’s voice filled the quiet bridge. 

“Perfect. Vanessa, status report.” Shiro ordered, looking to Lance’s elder sister. 

“Life support online, full power on all systems. Initiating lift sequences on your orders, Captain.” She said, fingers darting across her panel. 

Keith let himself truly take in the atmosphere of the bridge. They had meetings and plans for weeks. The rebuild and recovery of Earth took the most priority, but it was clear that Voltron was needed out in the universe again, and the Atlas was ready for launch. 

Once all paladins and Atlas crew were cleared for duty, there was nothing holding them back. It was time.

“Iverson, how are our weapons?” Shiro asked, following Keith’s gaze to the controls. 

Iverson’s face pinched, selecting different buttons and frowning. “Remains to be seen, Captain. The readings are off and I’m not getting clear information.”

Keith stepped to Iverson’s left, skewing Shiro’s view, a gloved hand reaching over and sliding a gloved finger over the touch screen, adjusting two numbers. Iverson looked up to him, face more surprised than upset. “Coran had his fingers in it, Captain.” Keith said, looking over to Coran with narrowed eyes. “Proper readings will be loading shortly. It was calibrated to the Red Lion’s weapons, but Lance is already off planet.”

Coran sputtered, smiling. “Ah, yes. Sorry, I forgot to bounce it back to the Atlas’ systems.”

Iverson looked down to the screen again as it loaded. “Weapons at full capacity, Captain. Redirecting power from the close range weapons to assist in liftoff.” 

Keith looked over to Shiro, giving the man an answering smile to the one he found there. “Very good, initiating liftoff, start ten second countdown.”

“Ten second countdown initiated, Captain.” Vanessa said, fingers darting across her control panel. 

The sound of the thrusters initiating hummed through the bridge, a small shake and then lift. There was silence as they were lifted before Shiro spoke up. “”Gravity status?”

“Monitored and awaiting atmospheric departure for adjustments.” Coran said, pausing and turning slightly. “Which gravitation should I adjust to, Captain? Earth’s gravity is-”

“Adjust to the gravity generated inside of the lions.” Shiro said, glancing to Keith. “The gravity on Olkarion is…”

“Lighter.” Keith supplied with a small nod. “The Lions are a good baseline, not that I doubt your ability to remember the calibration for the Castle of Lions, Coran, but that way we at least have a live sample to keep with. I think Black’s would be the best to keep to, they like to follow different pressures, but Black’s is the closest to the Castle.”

Shiro hummed. “I guess that explains why Hunk always gets a bit dizzy after getting out of Yellow.”

“Red likes to have lower gravity to keep with his speed. Black is very… stable.” Keith said, putting his hands on his hips rather than crossed like he always used to. Whether or not it was confidence or projecting due to the eyes on him, Shiro wasn’t sure. 

It was a wonderful change. 

“Yes Sir.” Coran said, a smile on his face as he turned back to his console. “Preparing for atmospheric departure.”

Keith looked over, locking eyes with Shiro and smiled. Shiro motioned his head for Keith to return to his side, and as always Keith obeyed. They stood together as the viewport burned red with departure. 

With the lack of a teleduv, they needed to run the Atlas with multiple hyperspace jumps. Coran and Commander Holt had already spoken about trying to get a teleduv installed into the Atlas, but thinking about that too hard gave Shiro a low level headache. This was the start of a lengthy trip, and the Olkari would be the best to help with that ordeal, and Shiro knew when to bow to the superior knowledge of others. 

Once they were properly in hyperspace, Shiro heard Iverson speak up. “Keith, how did you know I was looking at the wrong thing?”

Keith hummed, looking over to the man. “Oh, at first I had no idea what you were looking at, but it looked familiar. Only after looking at it for a minute did I realize it was Red. I was Red’s paladin when we first found Voltron, and I spent a year looking at those speks and modifying them to make him faster and smoother. It seems like Lance hadn’t changed anything yet so it was really easy to put that together once I recognized the numbers.”

Iverson nodded, looking to his panel. “So I can keep up on the attacks and weapons systems of the Lions now?”

Coran stood, an excited look on his face, but Keith was already at Iverson’s side. “It’ll be easier to understand when you’re used to Altean numerology.” Keith said, pointing to a set of buttons that lined the panel.

Coran looked to Shiro and smiled widely. It was unspoken, but an understanding came between them. Keith had not only grown as a man, pilot, and fighter. He had grown into a leader, a teacher who would reach out and help. Shiro felt pride well in his chest like a bright sun as he watched how Keith’s hair brushed across his forehead as he leaned down to select the different options, explaining carefully which was which, how to tell the difference at a glance, and a quick connection between the Altean numbers and Earth numbers. A selfish, selfish part of Shiro preened as Keith mentioned part of the numbers only made sense because Shiro had taught him Japanese when he was a cadet. Iverson looked over to Shiro, making the younger man look away with red cheeks. “Captain.” Coran spoke up, a devious smile on his face.

“Yes, Coran?” 

“We have three Vargas until we’re to stop again to regroup with the Princess and Paladins. If I may suggest you and Keith go rest, you’ve both been preparing for this departure for the past quintent.”

Keith looked up from the weapons panel to Coran at the sound of his name. “What?”

Shiro looked to Keith, seeing the small discoloration under his eyes and frequent blinks and nodded. “I think you’re right, Coran. You have the bridge.”

“What.” Keith repeated, frowning with the knowledge someone else had just made a decision for him. 

“Come on, Keith. Let’s at least get off the bridge for a little while.” Shiro said, turning and attempting to lead the young man off the bridge with him with a prosthetic hand at the curve of Keith’s back. 

Keith looked between Shiro, Coran, and Iverson before shaking his head and letting Shiro lead him off the bridge.

Once the bridge doors closed, Keith spoke. “Why did you do that?”

“Do what, Keith?” Shiro asked, a smile on his face.

“Insist I get off the bridge?”

Shiro shook his head and laughed. “Come on, Keith. When was the last time you slept? I know how you are.”

Keith puffed up, frowning. “And how is that?”

“Oh my God.” Shiro laughed, shoving Keith lightly. “Fine, do you want to check out the training deck with me then?”

Keith kept up his frustrated face for another moment before he finally smiled and nodded. “Alright, fine. Let’s see how the Atlas stands up to the Castle.”

 

Apparently, the Atlas stood up very well to the Castle of Lions. Keith leaned against Shiro’s back and panted, a wide smile on his face. “Okay, okay, I think I could crash now.”

Shiro laughed and used his prosthetic to grab a bottle of water, pulling it back to them and offering it to Keith by putting the cold bottle against the boy’s neck. Keith jumped, but took the bottle with a grateful smile. “Do you know where your quarters are, yet?” Shiro asked, facing the realization that he and Keith would part at whoevers quarters were closer. 

The silence that answered him made Shiro turned, looking at the younger man. “I… have no idea where it is actually.” He admitted, laughing bashfully. “Don’t worry, I think I can stay up long enough to find it for a power nap.”

Shiro watched as Keith raised the bottle of water to his lips and drank quickly. Something about watching the water bottle crinkle in Keith’s hand, and a bead of sweat slide down the side of his face that made Shiro swallow. “Yeah, no. Come to my quarters, its one of the biggest and has it’s own shower. I think we’ll be fine for a power nap.” He said, gently punching Keith’s arm. 

Keith let out a long breath, discarding the empty water bottle with a toss toward the bin. “Well, I guess that works.” He said, looking to Shiro. “Lead the way, Captain.” 

Shrio smiled and nodded, shaking his head. “Right this way, Paladin.”

Keith sputtered a few moments before barking out a laugh and chasing after Shiro. 

 

Shiro was right. The Captain’s quarters were… impressive. Nothing too fancy, but certainly better than their rooms in the Castle. Keith sat heavily on the couch and let his head fall back, hair stuck to his face with now drying sweat. “I’ll let you at the shower first.” Shiro said, throwing the young man a towel. 

“I don’t have any other clothes, they were all taken to my quarters before we boarded.” Keith said, voice muffled through the towel. 

“Well, I think I have a pair of sweatpants that’ll fit you, just get washed and I’ll find something.” Shiro said, watching with crossed arms as Keith stood and tugged the towel off his face. The younger man just shrugged, tugging the armor off over his head and putting it on the shelf next to Shiro’s folded Atlas armor. No matter how exhausted he was, he wasn’t about to leave bits of armor across Shiro’s room. If he were in his own quarters, it would be a very different story, but this was Shiro’s space. Finally, with a pile of armor on the shelf, Keith kicked off his boots and started to fuss with the zipper at the back of his sweatsuit.

“Let me help.” Shiro said with a laugh after Keith tried and failed to tug the zipper himself.

Keith sighed, letting Shiro circle him and pull the zipper down to the curve of his back. “Thank you.” Keith said, giving Shiro a tired smile before grabbing the towel, blinking at the pair of grey sweats that Shiro offered him before taking them and disappearing into the shower. 

 

Minutes passed that Shiro used to get acquainted with his new quarters and absolutely not think about the boy in his shower. He circled and paced as he hung up his uniform jacket and untucked his shirt. Waiting. When the sound of water stopped, Shiro had to try even harder not to think about Keith in the bathroom. It was an exercise in control and clenched fists to not think about finally seeing how much the man had grown and toned, and as the door suddenly opened, letting warm steam out into the room, Shiro remembered he didn’t give Keith a shirt.

White towel partially on his head and water still dripping down his exposed chest, Keith’s cheeks were flushed, through from the heat of the shower or Shiro’s wandering eyes he couldn’t be sure. Keith had very much filled out over the years. His muscles well defined, but it was the scars that had Shiro wide eyed. He had been there for the forming on most of them, but he had never truly seen them since they’d healed. “What are you staring at?” Keith asked, voice deep as Shiro’s eyes were finally drawn back up to his face.

“S-Sorry, I just…” Shiro waved vaguely at Keith before rubbing the back of his neck. Keith crossed his arms, that defensive stance Shiro had been so proud of seeing shed earlier returning like a blow to Shiro’s chest. “I haven’t… seen those scars.”

Keith seemed even more self-conscious now, looking down as his chest and frowning. “Go take a shower, Shiro… And find me a comb.”

Shiro smiled awkwardly and nodded. “Yeah… okay.” He moved to the drawers again, tugging out his own set of sweatpants and searching awkwardly through his drawers for his comb. 

After nearly a solid minute of searching, Shiro handed over a comb to Keith as well as a an orange Garrison t-shirt. Keith took both, looking up at Shiro and he could feel his cheeks flush before retreating to the safety of the shower.

It wasn’t until he was fully washed and tugging on the sweats that he realized he had neglected to grab a shirt for himself. “Quiznack.” He swore, pinching the bridge of his nose with flesh fingers. After the stress of having forgotten to give Keith a shirt, he had managed to forget one for his own damn self. Shaking his head, he wrapped his towel around his neck and stepped from the bathroom. What greeted him, he could never be prepared for.

Keith stood, hair tied into a wet ponytail at the base of his neck, in a pair of still just too big clothes, a honest-to-god photo in a frame in his hands. There was a small, melancholy smile on his lips as he looked at the photo, and Shiro had to force himself to look away. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Keith so… vulnerable. So soft and open. So domestic. That warm feeling filled his chest again and he moved to the dresser to find himself a shirt. 

The sound of the drawer opening must have gotten Keith’s attention, as the man turned and spoke. “I didn’t know you got this framed.” He said, showing the photo to Shiro and smiling. 

It was them. Years and wars younger, Shiro’s hair all black and Keith so damn young. They were covered in dirt and grinning. It had been taken just weeks before the Kerberos mission. Shiro abandoned his search with a smile, walking to Keith and taking the framed photo from the younger man. “I didn’t. Or, I hadn’t gotten around to it. I was going to put it up next to the picture of Adam and I in our rooms, but…” He gripped the frame tighter and let out a small sigh. “Adam must have framed it anyway. He cared about you like a brother too, Keith.”

Keith smiled and shook his head. “I know… we… fought when I saw him last. I mean, before Voltron. I’ve seen him in passing the past few weeks but I haven’t gotten to speak to him.”

Shiro looked to Keith, then again to the photo before he put it back to the shelf. “Why did you two fight?”

“I… lashed out a lot when they said you were presumed dead. I… fought Iverson. Physically.”

“You didn’t-” Shiro suddenly looked to Keith with wide eyes.

“His eye-”

“Keith you did  _ not _ .”

“He said to stop looking for you!” Keith snapped, face suddenly so angry. “They both did! Iverson said to stop looking around where I didn’t belong, said I should shut up and take the opportunities you gave me and remember you with them.” His hands were clenched into tight fists at his side, and Shiro could see his arms shaking with anger at the memory. “Adam said he knew how I felt, but that there was nothing we could do. To just mourn you and move on.

“I never stopped looking for you. I didn’t have the skills Pidge did looking for Matt… but I knew something took you, and I knew you would fight to get home.”

“Keith.” Shiro spoke, hoping his voice was placating enough to let the boy- no, man before him relax. He reached out, putting a hand on each shoulder, giving Keith a gentile squeeze. 

“I never doubted that you would come back. Every time I knew you’d be back.”

“You’ve seen to it yourself. Each time.” Shiro said, reaching up to trace a finger across the burn scar on Keith’s cheek, unable to stop himself. “You’ve gotten hurt too many times bringing me back home.”

“I’ll never stop saving you, Takashi.” Keith said, wrapping his fingers around Shiro’s wrist, closing his eyes for a long moment before flicking his eyes to Shiro’s face. 

What a picture he probably made for Keith too. Still wet and shirtless, probably blushing and looking at him like he had hung the damn moon in the sky. “As many times as it takes?” Shiro questioned, a soft smile on his face.

“That’s right.” Keith said, wrapping his arms around Shiro’s chest and pressing his face into the larger man’s warm breastbone. 

Shiro laughed, one hand cupping the back of Keith’s head and the other pulling him close. “I’m sorry to make this so heavy…” Keith mumbled against warm skin.

“We’ve been through a lot, Keith.” Shiro said, petting down Keith’s tied hair. “It’s hard for us to have a conversation that isn’t heavy.”

“That’s stupid.”

“It is.” Shiro agreed, resting his chin on the top of Keith’s head, looking at that photo. Keith was punching Shiro in the arm, both of them grinning. Shiro could remember that day, but instead of letting his mind wander, he closed his eyes and held Keith tighter to his chest, trying his best to commit this moment to memory. He would live the rest of his life with this memory at the forefront of his mind, words filling his mouth but not spilling past his lips. Not yet.

Someday.


	4. Chapter 4

The attack had been unexpected. Gathering rebellion fighters and members of the Voltron Coalition, jumping from base to base, planet to planet, they had been on the move for months with near radio silence from the pirates and fragments of the Empire. The Blade of Marmora had reported multiple times of power shifting from hand to hand across the galaxy, but there had been no warning. 

Before Shiro could even make the order, Keith was speaking. “Paladins! To your Lions.” He voice was like gravel, a tone Shiro hadn’t heard since the defence of Earth. “Let’s let them know Voltron’s back.”

Shiro couldn’t help but smile at the ferocity Keith was projecting. “Keith.” He said, catching the man’s attention before he could go off to his Lion. It was enough for the other Paladins to pause, but they still looked to Keith for orders, no longer Shiro. “Don’t make me have to go after you.”

Keith grinned, and Shiro could tell his words hit the right memory with Keith. The two of them sitting on that rock that orbits the Earth, a moment of peace between battles. That peace was so distant from now, Keith radiating a lust for the fight and Shiro eating it right from his hands. “Catch me, Shirogane.” The challenge was a purr that belonged so far from the bridge of their command ship, but just like that Keith had turned and retreated toward the ship hold.

“Vanessa, hold and drop the shields at Keith’s command.” Shiro said, head back in the fight and looming over the command panels like a Wolf over his prey. “Time to make the Paladins work for their keep.”

“All Paladins in their lions. Ready for departure when shields are down.” Keith’s voice filled the comms, and Vanessa practically slammed the controls.

“Shields do-”

Vanessa’s voice was interrupted by the sound of roaring lions. As soon as all five were visible, the shields were returned to full power. “Orders, sir.” Iverson gruffed, looking to Shiro expectantly. His brows shot to his hairline at Shiro’s relaxed posture. 

“We leave it to the Lions. We’re the last line, the Tank so to say.” Shiro said, watching the command ship before them light up. “We come in when our front line is at a disadvantage.”

“So we just…”

“Sit and watch.” Coran’s voice came, making Iverson look to the Altean. “This isn’t like the attack on Earth. The Paladins have saved planets without the Castle of Lions, with Keith as lead too.” 

Shiro looked from where Iverson sat back in his chair and to the viewport where the Lions few in a flurry of explosions and color. It was long minutes of commands over the comms and color before everything grew quiet. “Vanessa, lower shields for the Lions return.”

“Yes, Captain.” Vanessa said, watching as four lions docked, and one loomed before them, eyes glowing into the viewport.

A beat of silence before Shiro turned and walked from his post. “Coran, you have the bridge, follow our set coordinates and comm me if I’m needed.”

Coran smiled widely after the Captain, a knowing look in his eyes. “Yes Sir.”

 

Shiro would be eternally grateful that he had been gifted an MFE. Commander Holt recognized his  _ need  _ to get out there sometimes. Above all else, Shiro would always be a pilot, and nothing was quite like being directly behind controls, moving with quick responses and the feeling of truly flying. 

Keith knew this.

Sometimes it felt like Keith knew everything about him. 

Chasing the Black Lion was a challenge, but not nearly as difficult as it would have been to chase Red. They darted around each other like how Shiro and Keith darted around each other. Leading and following, chasing and trusting each other. There were no words passed across comms, but Shiro could have sworn he heard Keith’s laugh in his head. 

They beat The Atlas to Olkarion by one vaga, but it seemed Keith wasn’t done with the chase yet. The Black Lion beat him into orbit by ten dobashes. “I’m sorry, Shiro.” Ryner said, a smile on her face. “He took one of our speeders into the forest. I think I know where you will be able to find him, though.”

 

And Shiro did find him where Ryner said, sitting on an old Olkari structure, the wind blowing around his head, pushing his hair around in wild waves. It was enough to get Shiro to stop and stare. Keith smiled down to him, the adrenaline still running in their veins. “You’re getting slow with age, Takashi.” He called down, which only fueled that racing heart and thrumming muscles that drove Shiro to where he stood.

His long legs came to an advantage as he ran up to where Keith was perched. He had no choice, no control, only the chase and reward at the end, Shiro practically threw himself onto Keith, crashing their lips together and pulling the young man into his arms. He pulled Keith from where he sat to his feet, and only then, when they were on equal footing, did Shiro sober and pull back from the hybrid before him. 

Shiro looked into Keith’s face, sudden fear welling in him, until he saw those purple eyes slowly open and lock with his. “Took you long enough.” Keith whispered, cupping the back of Shiro’s head and pulling him into another messy kiss. 

It was all sweat and the warm jungle air of Olkarion, and perfect. “I love you.” Shiro breathlessly said, looking over Keith’s flushed face. “I’ve loved you since you found me on that moon after we fought Zarkon.”

Keith laughed, pressing his forehead against Shiro’s. “I’ve loved you since you left for Kerberos.” He admitted, threading his fingers into the short hair at the back of Shiro’s head.

Shiro couldn’t help but join in the laugh, kissing Keith again, eyes closed tight and feeling them water under closed lids. He thought he’d been waiting… Since before Kerberos. Squeezing Keith closer to him, Shiro felt like his chest was about to explode. 

Since before Kerberos.

And Keith had done nothing but stay by his side, safe him when he needed saving, trusted him, questioned him when he needed. As many times as it takes indeed.

“Come on, Takashi.” Keith whispered against his lips, cupping the man’s cheek. “We need to meet up with the Atlas.”

“They can wait five more dobashes.” Shiro said, a firmness to his tone. “You’ve waited so much longer for this than you ever deserved to.”

“I can still wait a few more tics.” He shot back, smiling. “Patience yields focus.” 

Shiro shook his head and grinned. He was likely going to grin like a fool for hours. Days even. He leaned his face into Keith’s hand and sighed. Suddenly there were words in his mouth again, making his stomach twist. It was too much, too soon, so he swallowed them down like a bitter drink and let them sit in his gut like an unhappy meal.

_ “When this is all over… I want you to marry me.” _


	5. Chapter 5

The bliss of realized feelings could only last so long with the reminder of war. So easy to remember when always fighting. The first attack on Olkarion made them pull back off planet again. The Olkari had suffered so greatly, not just from the Galran occupation but also from their connection to the Voltron Coalition. Their refusal to back down was always admirable, but they couldn’t keep hammering the planet and people. 

They left with heavy hearts as the Olkari licked their wounds and yet again began to rebuild their planet. It was so much harder to bring the war to doors of those who perpetrate it when they were so scattered. While with support, they were less powerful than the followers of Haggar. The Druids that remained were out of control. Wild and unhinged. Trying to “earn their place” back at Haggar’s side more now that she had resurfaced. This had also caused them to scatter as well.

The Atlas followed the warnings of the Blade of Marmora. Whispers of targets enough to put the Atlas between a base and a Galra cruiser while Voltron was out trying to lure Haggar out of her hiding. 

“We have a lead on Haggar’s location.” Acxa said over the video call, Krolia just over her shoulder. The screen was split between the feed of the Blade of Marmora, and the Black Lion. 

Keith’s hair had grown and the man had stubble on his chin. He was marred from more battles than Shiro had seen, but something in his posture always shifted when he looked to Shiro. Shoulders dropping slightly, leaning back in his chair. “We’re sending coordinates now, but it’s advised we allow a few more Vargas for confirmation.” Krolia said, reaching over Acxa to press a sequence of buttons on the control panel. 

“Why are we waiting?” Lance’s voice came, the other paladins only sharing audio connection.

Keith’s brows rose to his hairline as the coordinates were received. “Because we’re practically on top of the base.” He said, moving to readjust his course. “Pidge, is it too late to get us cloaked?”

“Nothing picked us up according to my scans.” Pidge answered, her voice chopped like she was already working on it. “I should be able to get us cloaked in time, Allura I need you closer.”

“On it, Pidge.” Allura answered, and Shiro felt his chest tighten slowly.

“How long until we’re expected to hear back with a confirmation?” Shiro finally spoke up, hands on his hips, trying to regain some measure of calm. 

“At least another varga.” Krolia said, frowning at the screen. “I suggest the paladins remain cloaked and in orbit over the base.”

“That’s a negative.” Keith answered quickly, reading over a screen to his left. “The cloaking isn’t going to keep us hidden long, they know that trick by now. If they caught a glimpse of us they’ll be on alert. We’ll be pulling back to the moon and waiting for confirmation there. Atlas, how far out are you?”

Shiro looked to Coran, who started counting on his fingers. “We’re over a varga out without Allura here to work the teladuv. We’ll be well on our way when we get the news and will be able to back you up for any assault.”

“We won’t be rushing into anything.” Keith said, looking back to the screen again. “We’ll only engage if Haggar is leaving or we’re engaged first. I’m getting the blueprints Acxa is sending over and we’ll need more support if we engage.”

Shiro was floored by the growth Keith was showing. He had grown as a leader and tactician, and something about it made Shiro swell with pride… and miss the man dearly. “We’re setting course now. Even if Haggar isn’t there this base would be a strong blow to her arsinal, a chance we should take.”

“I agree.” Krolia said, smiling. “That’s why a squad of Blades are already en route. They’ll meet up with Voltron on the moon and we’ll gather again to make a proper plan. It’s not possible to hide the Atlas, so you’ll have to be on vid only, but we’ll include you in all plans.”

“I would hope so.” Shiro said with a smile. “Coran, start course now. “

The comm feed filled the bridge, and Shiro stood with his arms crossed looking at those who had gathered. Kolivan had joined Krolia and Acxa, as well as a handful of rebels, which included Matt and his partner. The paladins all had changes over the past months, standing helmetless in the large hold of one of the ships, Shiro could finally look over them all for the first time in… far too long it felt. Allura had her hair back in a ponytail rather than her usual bun, and her face was harder. The changes that had begun during the battle for Earth had come to head in the princess, and what a warrior princess she had become. Lance stood at her side, hair slightly shaggy and a new scar on his face. 

Shiro had read that report, and would be eternally grateful for Lance and what he had done. Throwing himself between Keith and a pirate may have scarred the man’s face, but it had saved Keith’s life. The mark curved the red paladin’s temple and down his cheekbone, but it added a charming age to him. 

Pidge had grown in more ways than Shiro had expected. Lines of muscle were visible through the black sleeves of the paladin’s uniform and she stood as a solid figure at her brother’s side. She was still the shortest of them, but he had no doubt she was a damn tank now physically. Keith had been adamant about more physical training for the paladins, refusing to let them get soft with regular piloting. It was most visible in Pidge. 

Hunk seemed to be the most unchanged of them next to Keith. He remained a solid block of strength and support, but he seemed closer to them now. Whatever small gap there had been between Hunk and the other Paladins Keith seemed to have taken a sledgehammer to and offered a hand. They seemed like a team now more than ever.

“Last report confirms Haggar is still at the base, but alarms have been raised and I fear we may have lost our agent.” Krolia said, crossing her arms. “It’s nearly impossible to infiltrate now, but still an option. We may need someone to go inside to get the shields down once they’re raised. It’s possible that the Atlas’ canon will be able to bring down their shields, but you’re still out at least twenty dobashes, correct?”

Shiro looked to Coran before nodding. “That’s about right.” He said, hands firmly on his hips. “Are we still running on the pre-Atlas arrival attack plan?”

“I still think it’s a good plan.” Keith said, cupping his chin and looking at the screen, almost like he were looking into Shiro’s soul.

Shiro had no idea who told Keith it was okay to stand there in the Black Paladin armor with his hair tied up in a bun, stubble on his face and looking downright edible. 

It was cruel.

“They know about the Atlas, and the longer we can keep the battle going before the Atlas arrives the more of their hand they’ll show. If we let it go long enough, they’ll think we’ve gotten overconfident, like we don’t know Haggar is on the base. We’ve been attacking enough bases just Voltron that it’d be an easy trap to fall into.”

“According to our information they’ve been trying to track where Voltron is to be taking next. It’s likely why this base is on alert.” Kolivan said, nodding to Keith. “I agree with Keith.”

Shiro watched the exchange, eyes narrowed. Something was… off with Kolivan. “Then we’ll commence with the plan. The lions will go in and launch their attack as normal with their attacks, make it seem like you’re running a normal raid. Krolia, will you and Acxa be attempting a recovery for the Blade?”

“That’s a negative.” Krolia said, an odd smile on her face. “Once the Atlas arrives I’ll be shuttling over. I’m going to be out of service for… some time.”

“Mom?” Keith spoke up, looking to Krolia with concern, and in that moment Shiro put it all together. 

Krolia turned to Keith and pulled out her blade, offering it to Keith with a smile. “Keith, you’ll have to take this in the meantime. You can pass it on to your brother when it’s time.”

“My… brother…?” Keith blinked, taking the blade by the hilt as it all fit into place. Keith’s eyes went from Krolia to Kolivan then back to his mother as a wide grin spread on his face. “Oh my god.” He breathed out, pulling Krolia into a tight hug. 

“Congratulations, Krolia. Kolivan.” Shiro said, nodding at them with a smile of his own. “We’ll have the medbay prepped for your arrival to run any tests you would like.”

Krolia looked to the screen and nodded to Shiro. “Thank you, Captain.”

 

Shiro watched the battle begin from the bridge of the Atlas. They had dropped a system away, waiting for the call to join the attack. He watched each orange dot carefully, hands clenched in fists on the panel. Waiting was the hardest part, especially as he watched the Black Lion ram into the shield with Yellow. Pidge’s cry that it had flickered enough for them to make a solid hit to the base was followed by a small cheer across the bridge. 

Shiro knew better.

Shiro knew Haggar was on that base. 

“Hunk!” Keith’s voice cried out just as the Yellow Lion was shot across the map. “Kolivan, bring in the rebels before they get the shield back up!”

Shiro clenched his fists tighter. The rebels. Not the Atlas. 

He had to remind himself that Keith was leading this attack, not him. He trusted Keith with his life, but not so much with his own if he were honest. It was Haggar… Shiro’s eyes widened with sudden realization.

It was Haggar on that base.

Haggar who had cloned him and controlled him to attack Keith and the rest of the Paladins. Keith would do anything to keep him away from Haggar. The only thing that guaranteed the Atlas being called was Krolia. “Don’t be stupid Keith…”

“Keith! Keith what are you doing?” Allura. 

“Vanessa, bring up feed from the Blue Lion.” Shiro barked, the map falling away to the view of fighting. 

Fighters zoomed around them, the sounds of battle and death, and inside of it all the Black Lion, mouth open, rocketing out of the atmosphere. “That was an atmospheric shot. She’s not on the base! She’s somewhere in orbit!”

“In orbit? There’s nothing in orbit but us and the-” Allura gasped, the eyes of the Blue Lion turning to the moon. 

“Coran, make the jump.” Shiro ordered, eyes narrowed. They had been fools. 

“Not yet, Shiro.” Keith appeared on the viewscreen, brows drawn in determination. “We need her exposed. Then you’ll be able to drop here. You run too much of a risk dropping the Atlas into this fight until you know where she is.”

“Keith don’t be stupid-”

“Trust me Shiro.” Keith snapped, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Patience yields focus. Let the little ships fly around blind first. Let us draw her out.”

Shiro clenched his teeth before finally sighing. “Don’t forget to call us in, Keith.”

 

“Shiro! We need the Atlas!” Keith called across the comms. It was nearly ten dobashes later but it felt like an eternity. They had waited with comms open, listening as the Paladins and Rebels fighting, getting tenser as each moment passed. 

“Coran, adjust our heading.” Shiro barked, looking to Vanessa. “Shields up as soon as we drop, Iverson status on our guns.”

“All all systems green, we should have on canon blast ready on drop.”

“Good. MFEs are you ready?” Shiro asked, listening to the coms.

“Ready to launch at your orders, Captain.” Adam’s voice startled Shiro for a moment before he steadied himself. He’d nearly forgotten the man’s new ship. Of course he would be the one answering over Griffin. Seniority and all that. 

There were two dobashes of silence before the sound of warp drop and blaster fire surrounded them. Without needing ordered, Vanessa was raising frontal shields as they were covered with immediate blaster fire. “MFEs take off!” Shiro ordered, looking to Iverson. “Starboard cannons, fire on that cruiser.”

And like that they were plunged into the chaos. “Red’s grounded, Lance is still trying to get him back online.” Keith barked over the comms. “We can’t form Voltron until he’s back up. Hunk, cover him and make sure he doesn’t take too much more damage. Kolivan, where’s my mother?”

“Her shuttle is en route to the Atlas, we’re covering it but so far she’s not drawing fire.” Acxa answered for him, warning Shiro to ready the Atlas for her arrival. 

“Coran, eyes on Krolia’s shuttle, we need to get her docked as soon as possible.” Shiro said, watching Black dart across the viewscreen. “Keith! What are you doing?”

“I’m getting the Witch out of her cave.” Keith growled, and Shiro could only watch in horror as Black opened her jaws and bit into the cruiser. As she turned and returned to the battle Shiro could see a spot of black and white lowering into the opening.

“Keith we need you in the fi-” Allura’s protest died as Black continued to take down fighters that flew around them. 

“Don’t stop firing on the ship.” Keith’s voice was firm, and Shiro could hear the sound of his boots as he ran. “We can’t guarantee that if we take down the ship we take down Haggar. I need a body or she might still be out there.”

“Sir.” A new voice came, but Shiro hardly heard it. “We have the shuttle on board.”

“MFEs keep on the fighters, Iverson aim the photon cannon on the base. For now keep fire off the cruiser. I’m going in after him. Coran, you have the bridge.” Shiro said, voice sharp. 

“Captain-” Coran protested, but Shiro was already turning out the door and disappearing down the hall.

 

The hallways were littered with the signs of Keith’s presence. The most surprising had to be the backside of a druid’s robes sticking out of a wall, and if Shiro were feeling humorous he would have laughed. As it was he was furious and terrified. After all of this he knew he would have to sit down and think about how much he taught by example. No wonder Keith had chased after and saved him so many times, this was completely something Shiro would do, and he hated it. In fact, it was something he did himself during the battle for Earth and it was Keith who had felled Sendak at the end of that battle, not him. It made things no less horrifying of a prospect as he heard the sound of battle ahead of him. 

Quickening his pace to a run, Shiro practically slid into the fight, metal fist colliding with a sentinel. It was only quick reflexes that saved him from Keith’s bayard, blocking it with his arm and blinking at wide yellow eyes. “Shiro!”

“Couldn’t let you do this alone.” Shiro said, smiling as the man lowered his weapon and blinked at him. Slowly his yellow eyes blinked away to his normal human white and Keith frowned so deeply at him.

“You shouldn’t be here, it’s too risky for us both-”

“I’m not going to leave you to do this yourself.” Shiro scolded, reaching out to cup Keith’s exposed jaw. “We’re doing this together.”

Keith surged forward, crashing their lips together, masks clacking at the contact. There was a desperation to it, the months of longing clear in the contact, and when they parted a new determination shone in Keith’s face. “Fine, we do this together.” He agreed, knocking their masks together again.

“Let’s get moving.” 

 

No matter how they tried, how hard they fought and how firm it was, their was a truth to their fights. Each opponent had one person who was meant to fight them, and as Shiro cradled Keith for once, he knew the person who needed to face Haggar. Even Zarkon wasn’t theirs to kill, that duty fell to Lotor. Sendak faced him, but it was Keith who took him down. Haggar was the witch, the dark Altean who used her alchemy for selfish reasons and her own gain. There was one person who would take her down, and as the snap-hiss of Kosmo’s appearance, Shiro knew she was here.

Allura stood with her legs apart and head high, bayard glowing at her side as her preferred bladed whip, hair dancing around her shoulders like an avenging angel. Princess Allura, one of the last living Alteans, daughter of Alfor and Blue Paladin of Voltron stood tall between the Witch and where the Black Paladin of Voltron was held in the arms of the Captain of the Atlas. 

There were no doubts who would come out victorious. 

 

Shiro and Keith sat on their respective hospital beds on the Atlas, looking at each other with exhausted smiles. Keith had a bandage wrapped around his torso and Shiro one around his head, but they were alive, so alive and so happy. They had set fire to Haggar’s corpse once she was brought down by Allura, and for the first time things felt… almost at peace. There was still much to do, but in that moment? There was nothing but the way Keith was looking at him. “Women are scary.” Keith said, needing some way to break the silence.

Shiro could do nothing but laugh. Laugh and keep the words that so desperately wanted to come out as deep inside of him as possible.

_ “Marry me, Keith.” _


	6. Chapter 6

The crashing waves filled the air with the taste of salt. The breeze ruffled Shiro’s hair across his brow and he felt the sun singe his skin just so. The East coast of the Americas was so different from the coasts of Japan, and as his mother and brother walked ahead of them on the soft sand, Shiro couldn’t help but smile. It had been only a year since the war was considered officially over, but that did not mean they weren’t still working. Didn’t mean they had retired yet. 

Seeing his mother on Ryou’s arm left a small ache in his chest. Ryou had maybe a handful of grey hairs and fewer lines on his face, and while not untouched from the war and occupation, his twin had fewer physical signs of it. It was almost like looking at a possibility of what he could have been. He heard her footsteps before he heard her, and Shiro turned to see Krolia approach behind him, a comfortable smile on her face and baby on her hip. Yoka had grown so much in the year since his birth and as Keith’s brother reached out furred purple hands to Shiro the man didn’t hesitate to take him from his mother. “They should be arriving soon, Ramelle and Coran just received word of them breaking atmosphere.” Krolia said, happy to hand over her son and ruffle his messy purple hair. 

“You hear that Yoka?” Shiro said, grinning at the Galra babe. “Your big brother’s coming home.”

“Keef!” Yoka exclaimed, raising his arms in excitement and giggling wildly. 

Shiro nodded, unable to not grin at the galra boy in his arms. Yoka was an absolute gift, the first child born after the war… considering Krolia had been in labor during the final treaties they had some confidence in saying so. Yoka was the first child in… thousands of years to be born into a galaxy at peace. Roaring in the wind dragged Shiro from his thoughts, looking to the sky where five lions approached. 

“Keef!” Yoka cried again, reaching out to the lions’ spots in the sky. 

“Shiro!” Ryou called from down the beach, waving an arm above his head to get his attention. 

Shiro looked to Krolia and suddenly felt the weight of the box in his pocket. “I guess we should catch up to them, huh?” Krolia just gave him a knowing look and turned to walk after Shiro’s family.

Following her, Shiro couldn’t help but getting more introspective. The war was over, Voltron was little more than a symbol now and soon the Atlas would be used as an exploratory vessel. The Lions touched down, green on the cliff, yellow and red on the sand, blue and black in the waves, and Shiro could see their paladins making toward Ryou and Shiro’s mother. “Keith!” Shiro heard his mother exclaim with excitement, and god he hoped she wouldn’t give him away… 

“Shirogane Okaa-San!” Keith answered back with equal excitement, a smile wide on his face as he was pulled into a hug. 

The closer they got, the more they could hear. “How long has it been since I’ve seen you?” Keith asked, expression bashful and so charming.

“It’s been some time.” His mother said, attempting for scolding. “And please, call me Nana, I hear you call Shiro Takashi and I know you don’t struggle with calling Ryou anything other than his first name.”

“And vulgarities.” Ryou chimed in with a grin as Keith rolled his eyes. 

“Of course, Nana.” Keith said, smiling to her and finally catching a glimpse of Shiro. 

The other paladins were already joining them, but Shiro couldn’t see anything past Keith’s face. “Keef! Keef!” Yoka wiggled in Shiro’s arms, forcing the man to look down at the boy and grin. 

Leaning down, Shiro put Yoka on his feet in the sand and whispered into the Garla’s large furred ear. “Go get ‘em Yoyo.”

As soon as Shiro’s grip on the little boy was released, Yoka was shuffling his way to Keith, who waited with open arms. Krolia laughed at his side as Keith picked up his little brother and spun him in the air. “Yoyo!” He cheered before hugging the boy and laughing at Yoka’s rambling half-words. 

“It sure is something.” Krolia whispered, startling Shiro from the scene. “Seeing the man you love with a child.”

Shiro agreed. He felt like he was choking and his chest was falling in on itself, but it was the most wonderful feeling. He couldn’t imagine what a their family would look like if they ever had one… but it was all he could think of. Watching Keith nod with wide, interested eyes as Yoko waved his arms and rambled, it made him want to drop right there and beg Keith to spend the rest of their lives together. 

Reaching into his pocket, he remembered that was part of why they were here. 

“Come on, Yoko. Lets let your brother breathe for a moment.” Krolia said, stepping over and taking her youngest son from her elder’s arms. “Let him say hi to Shiro at least.”

Finally. That gave him the chance to walk over to Keith, flesh hand still in his pocket, clenching so tight on that velvet box. Keith smiled to him, new lines formed under his eyes and Shiro thought maybe he could see flicks of white in that long dark hair. The war had taken so much from them, but Keith had never looked more beautiful. The ocean wind whipping those long locks around his head. “Welcome home, Keith.” 

“I’m glad to be back… I could use a nice shower and some of Nana’s cooking.” Keith said, feeling a shift and looking to the others. 

“Absolutely.” Shiro agreed, gripping that anxiety that twisted in his chest and reaching out with his prosthetic to take Keith’s hand. “But first…”

He could hear Allura gasp, but as he dropped to one knee, Shiro only had eyes for Keith’s shocked face. Purple eyes wide and free hand inching up toward his face. 

“Keith… I’ve loved you since our first battle with Zarkon” He finally pulled the box out of his pocket and only tore his eyes from Keith’s to make sure he was opening it properly with one, non-dominant hand before looking back up to Keith. “And I’ve known since the battle for Earth that I can’t live without you… I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I- Marry me, Keith.”

It seemed like it took a second for it to fully process to Keith, and in that moment Shiro suddenly felt petrified. A second of begging the sand beneath them to swallow him, and then Keith was nodding. Nodding vigorously before pulling his free hand from his face and digging into a bag on his belt. From it he pulled out a nearly identical black box, flicking it open and locking his eyes with Shiro’s. “I… I was going to ask tonight.”

A beat of silence, and Shiro sprang to his feet, pulling Keith into a kiss. Laughing into each other’s mouths, they fumbled with rings and fingers before finally looking down at their linked hands. Nearly matching silver bands with two black stones set next to each other. The bands had clearly been crafted by different smiths, and Shiro could tell his hadn’t been crafted on Earth, whereas the one that now graced Keith’s finger he had made by a classic smith in Tokyo. He had been so grateful that the demand for traditionally made Earth goods had skyrocketed with new galactic trade. Something so Earth for his starboy. 

“Do you live in my head or something?” Keith hissed out, blinking up at Shiro and grinning. 

Shiro just cupped Keith’s cheek and pulled the man into another kiss. “No, but I’ll live by your side forever.”

Keith couldn’t help but land a soft punch to Shiro’s chest. “Shut up, you dork.”


End file.
